Teflon Cookware is Forever

For decades now DuPont has sold us what many would consider a nonstick wonder, but what DuPont has failed to tell us is that Teflon sticks to us. This is because Teflon gets its nonstick properties from a toxic, nearly indestructible chemical that is called pfoa, or perfluorooctanoic acid. Nevertheless, Teflon is used in numerous products today, including cookware, children's pajamas and takeout coffee cups.

The Environmental Protection Agency has just finished up a study that shows that pfoa is a human carcinogen. It can be found in the bloodstream of almost every American, even in newborn babies wherein it causes decreased birth weight and head circumference. So, while DuPont claims that Teflon makes "cleanup a breeze," cleansing ourselves from the chemical pfoa is nearly impossible.

DuPont has always known a lot more about Teflon than they would like to let on. In fact, after just 2 years of operation the EPA fined the company $16.5 million for having covered up their knowledge about Teflon for decades. What was the knowledge that was covered up? It was knowledge of the fact that pfoa can cause cancer, birth defects, immune suppression, developmental problems and liver damage. This is just one of the many lawsuits that has been brought against DuPont in regards to their use of Teflon.

So, how do we as humans inhale Teflon? Well, it can be found in a wide variety of places, including: when rugs and upholstery that have been treated with Teflon begin to wear down; 70% of the cookware that is sold; the paper that pizza slices are placed upon; microwave popcorn bags, ice cream cartons and other food packages; mascara; dental floss; and some personal care products. Of course, there is also pfoa in Scotchgard but they have stopped using the chemical now that they know that it contaminates entire populations of people. However, if you have ever used Scotchgard on your carpeting, it is still there.